Murder Mysteries #3

by Waggoner, Robert C.

  Stacy said, "Let's take a five minute break counselor."

  Outside the room, Stacy told Rory and Ben what she suspected. After her suspicion Ben went to the captain who called a state trooper to bring in a suspect. He nodded to Ben and he went to back to inform Stacy all was taken care of. Back they went to ask a few more questions.

  "Mr. Appel, did a Sally Reynolds ever come by your pharmacy and pick up her mother's medicines," asked Stacy.

  "Yes she did. She was a regular to take Mrs. Franks her medicine."

  "Who else would come and pick it up; if anyone," asked Stacy.

  "Sometimes the middle daughter Debbie would stop by and on a rare occasion the youngest Beverly came by."

  "Anyone else pickup the prescriptions Mr. Appel," asked Stacy.

  "Not that I remember," said a now more confident Marvin Appel. Stacy saw Gloria Appel breathe a small sign of relief.

  A few more questions passed by until a knock at the door was heard. Rory jumped up and opened the door as all heads were curious as to who was there. Marvin Appel sucked in a huge volume of air as Stacy had a pair of eyes riveted on his reaction to seeing Larry Reynolds in the door way.

  The trooper shoved him in and then a young woman followed behind. She was one of Marvin Appel's counter girls. When Larry scanned the room, he saw nothing but trouble coming. His face turned white and then he looked at Marvin Appel. Ben gave Larry his seat.

  Stacy asked the young frightened lady, "Have you ever seen Larry Reynolds in the pharmacy to pick up his mother-in-law's medicine."

  "Yes I've seen him come in more than once, but can't tell you how many times," said Linda.

  "You may go and make a formal statement outside stating that you've seen Larry Reynolds in Marvin Appel's pharmacy."

  The silence was deafening, Rory said later. Stacy let it all sink in for a few seconds and then said:

  "I think it's time for both of you, Mr. Marvin Appel and you Larry Reynolds to confess to the murder of Mrs. Betty Franks. We're going to separate the two of you for individual statements. As your lawyer is here Mr. Appel, he might suggest an accessory to the crime and that way you will escape the death penalty. Think it over and we'll return in ten minutes. Come with us Larry," said Stacy.

  Capitulate

  Twenty minutes later, a crying Gloria held onto her husband arm as his rights were read to him. A recording was taken and his statement in front of witnesses. He confessed that he was aware the Larry Reynolds used his arsenic to murder Betty Franks. In return he would receive a quarter of a million from Larry's wife's inheritance. Marvin Appel was not stupid and had that agreement in writing in his safe at the pharmacy. With phone calls back and forth to the persecutor Marvin would plead guilty to being an accessory which carried a mandatory ten year sentence.

  In another room, Larry was in a state of shock. He couldn't speak a word. Finally Stacy asked Veronica to call his wife Sally and for her to come to the North bend office of the state police.

  By the time she arrived, Larry could speak a few words. Sally rushed in declaring what was going on at the top of her lungs. Rory took her by the shoulders and told her calm down. Apparently his tone of voice worked as she shut up. She realized a few minutes later what had happened to her husband and to the pharmacist Marvin Appel.

  She turned to face her husband and said, "You worthless piece of shit. How dare you kill my mother for money? I hope they hang you sorry ass. I'm filling for divorce immediately and you'll not get a dime of my money for your defense. I'm out of here."

  Ben said, in front of Larry, "I guess she told him where to get off. I'd say Larry, you've changed your last tire. You can retire now. As they've not executed anyone for years, I expect you'll languish in jail for the rest of your worthless life. It won't be long until you wish an air gun in your hand instead of your dick."

  Stacy broke up laughing as well as Rory. Ben even smiled at his own short speech.

  The last bit a business was arresting the good Doctor Builtmore for prescribing a poison and a narcotic. He was eventually stripped of his license to practice. The judge sentenced him to five years and out in three on good behavior.

  Connie Rings up Stacy

  It was time for a victory dinner. Captain Blane, Veronica and all three detectives went to, of all places, the Chinese Buffet! What Stacy realized where they were going, she broke out laughing. Indeed all who were riding looked at her kind of weird.

  However, Rory had only one plate in hand, but left to fill it up twice more. Captain Blane just shook his head. Stacy ignored him and chatted with Veronica. She was close to her age and had a lot in common. After a few minutes Stacy broached the Rory infatuation of her. Veronica and the whole office knew about their relationship. She said, "Rory is head over heels in love with you Stacy. I feel sorry for him sometimes as he mopes around here like a lost puppy dog."

  "I've done nothing to lead him on Veronica. All is his own making. Yes, he's a great guy and we have special times together, but with this new job offer up in Eugene, he has to reside on the back burner."

  "Eugene is not that far away, for heaven's sake. My current boyfriend is in Salem and we see each other most weekends. I realize your job will or could keep you busy some weekend, but that's life today."

  "Let's see what develops. I'm waiting now for my new boss to call me for a meeting in Eugene. I expect her to call tomorrow or the next day."

  "Let's eat Stacy. I'm hungry and can you imagine Rory will consume that entire load of Chinese gunk?"

  After dinner, back at the office, Stacy prepared to go home. The stars were out in a spectacular display. We're so small compared to up there, she thought as she opened her door. She turned to Rory who had longing in his face. "Tall Man, cut it out. I'm not leaving the planet for a distance star. Eugene is only a two hour drive from here. Get real and buck up as my father would say. Call me in the morning to see what is what for report writing." She reached out and grabbed him by the shirt with her hand in a fist; pulled him down and gave him a kiss to remember her by.

  When they came up for air, "Stacy, I'll do better and once things are in motion, I'll adjust. You need time to do your new job. I'll give you the space, grudgingly mind you, you will need."

  "See you tomorrow Tall Man," said Stacy as she drove to her home in Bandon.

  Almost to the same time and it was definitely the same place that her cell went off. She turned the SUV off at her home and said, "Hello Connie."

  "How's the case coming along Stacy? I'm free day after tomorrow."

  "We wrapped it up today Connie. It's report time and then the next day I'm available at any time you so desire."

  "Let me call again at around this same time to let you know for sure when I'll be there," said a happy sounding Connie.

  "I totally forgot the travel agent today father and Fran. I promise tomorrow for sure. We solved the poison homicide case today. I'm free tomorrow. I'm really sorry guys."

  Fran said, "Never mind Stacy. What's one day to us old farts is nothing. Take off your tight jeans and join us for a night cap."

  With her sweats on, Stacy joined her father and Fran at the table with the laptop on just waiting for someone to click a mouse or hit a key. Stacy said, "I'll go to Eugene probably day after tomorrow. But let me update you on the happenings of today.

  First I visited Sharon and she told me………" and on she went and ten minutes later Fran clapped her hands. Father said, "If I'm not mistaken this makes number nine or ten homicides you've solved. All of those in the last two years or so. That's phenomenal and without precedence, I think. You'd best hold out for some big money Stacy," said her very proud father.

  Stacy laughed first then Fran and finally father broke out with a knee slapper.

  Eugene or Bust

  Stacy had a hard time deciding whether or not to take Dan with her or just his resume. In the end she took his file with her. The drive was nice and not far up the Umpqua River, the fog lifted revealing a lovely August day with t
he promise of valley temps around a hundred. She was comfortable with her SUV that had a mighty fine a/c.

  Connie had called last night with an I-5 meeting at a known motel just on the east side of the freeway. Stacy parked and dashed in due to the blast of heat from the relentless sun. Connie stood up when she saw Stacy come in. She waved and the waitress escorted her to the booth where Connie sat waiting.

  Before any words were spoken, both women took stock of what was in front on them. Stacy saw a middle aged woman with power surrounding her. The eyes radiated intelligence matching her dark blue sleeveless blouse. Her hair the color all middle aged women desire: thick with streaks of pure silver indicating it was natural. The rest of her face was kindly and friendly. A pair of reading classes hung around her neck. She said, "What do you think girl? Am I about what you thought I'd be?"

  Stacy turned a little red and said, "You're beautiful Connie. I can see you have confidence in everything you do. I refrained from doing a background check as I wanted to see for myself rather than what a report had to say."

  "Thanks for that nice report. Like the old saying some years back, 'you'd best have your ducks in line' when you talk to me. My father was senator, but he's gone a long time ago, but he left some memories for me. Also, before he succumbed to a dreaded disease, he wrote his memoirs'. I found what made him good and bad at the same time. Okay, enough of that, how about you; are you ready for this major move," asked Connie.

  "I'm basically along for the ride at this point Connie. What I can say is I'm ready to take on whatever is in front of me. I just need some guidelines and or parameters to operate by."

  "We've a lot of reading material to say the least. We're a bureaucracy that is bloated in some areas and too lean in others. I'm installing a fix on one lean with you today. I've not a lot of time Stacy. I'm going to rely on you to take the lead and run with it. You do the hiring, decorating, electronics will be supplied, and any other needs will fall upon your sagging shoulders. Your budge is liberal and it should allow for a comfortable start up operation. Get a damn good secretary who will bust her butt to help you. Have flowers delivered and pizza too. Don't be stingy, but don't go crazy either. We've oversight butt heads watching our every move, but that is my job."

  "I'm right behind you Connie. Where is this new office located?"

  "Good question Stacy. I've it programmed into my dash so follow me just after we have some nice lunch first. I'm a bit hungry."

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Upcoming Stacy Foreham Novellas:

  Stacy Foreham US Marshal

  Murder up Blue River

  Marshall Stacy had hardly made her mark in her new bed when a call came in from her office informing the new US Marshal that she was needed on a case.

  Stacy looked at her bedside clock which glared at her flashing, it was already 7 am. Stacy had been burning the candle at both ends setting up her new office. Ironically, Rory's father had recommended a fine secretary who was burned out at her job with the local police department. Long story short, after a visit in Salem, Stacy offered her the position after she told Stacy that regardless of Stacy's young age as a boss, that was no problem with her. Her desire was to be part of the operation, not just a go for this and that.

  Stacy drove her new SUV to the office to find a plain clothes detective from the Oregon State Police waiting for her. He shook her hand and said, "I'm Detective Lance Campbell. My captain told me to find you and ask if you'd be so kind to assist us in a kidnap-murder case."

  "Well, I've not even got my feet wet here in this office detective, but that's what I've been hired to do."

  "Your reputation precedes you Stacy Foreham. My captain and North Bend's captain are good friends. Let's sit down and I'll fill you in."

  Stacy turned to Emma and said, "Em, grab a pad and join us please."

  "Before I forget it Stacy, Dan Swollow called to say he'd be here in about a week."

  "Tell me what you've got Detective Campbell," asked Stacy.

  "First off call me Lance, not Detective Campbell. The boys used to give me a hard time thinking I was descendant from the Campbell Soup Co. Okay; this case is a bit sensitive as it concerns a kidnapping of a high ranking official's daughter here in town. She was brutally murdered up at the small town of Blue River."

  ~~~~

  This is number ten in the Stacy Foreham mystery series. I hope you'll like her as a US Marshal as she roams the Willamette Valley attempting to put away the bad guys.

  Her former detective's, colleagues Rory Caltex and Ben Razor, remain a big part of her life. Even Dr. Stone takes the teaching position at the University of Oregon that was offered a while back. With her former cast of friends, as well as the new additions, let's see where Stacy takes us.